The Voice of the Loy Norrix Community

Knight Life

The Voice of the Loy Norrix Community

Knight Life

The Voice of the Loy Norrix Community

Knight Life

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(Photo Illustration) A student drives her car while talking to someone on the phone. This violates Kelsey’s Law which prohibits drivers from using their cell phone while driving.
Scholarship rewards $5,000 to high school students for bringing awareness to distracted teen driving
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The Kelsey’s Law scholarship is open for submissions until Mar. 31. Hosted by the Michigan Auto Law, the scholarship awards a total of $5,000...

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Red Cross Supervisor Cindy Vandermeer prepares Teya Dawson for her blood donation. Dawson was a first-time donor.
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Isabella Figueroa, Chief Copy Editor • March 21, 2024

“My dad and my mom both needed blood products when they were still living, so it's just really important to me so that the blood stays local,”...

Meeting Hardship With Optimism: Bailey James Shares His Life Philosophy

Guest Writer Eddie Knudsen

Bailey
Bailey James, discussing an opinion article with Tisha Pankop. He claims that dog breeds long thought to be vicious are just as capable of being friendly if raised properly, reflecting his optimistic philosophy. Photo Credit / Eddie Knudsen

Like many high schoolers, Bailey James enjoys something that isn’t necessarily healthy. However, it’s something you might not expect: physical activity.
Bailey was diagnosed with cardiomegaly, a condition more commonly known as an enlarged heart, shortly after he was born. This means his heart often can’t properly pump blood to and from his lungs, making even mundane things like exercising a dance with death.
The exact rate of cardiomegaly occurrence isn’t known, although it’s usually inherited from one’s parents. The condition causes myocardial tissue to stretch excessively, tearing the heart muscles apart. This gives the heart a bloated appearance, the conditions namesake. When this happens, the heart can’t contract fully, and thus respiration cannot occur, manifesting as intense pain and shortness of breath.
“My heart’s not supposed to beat as fast as it does,” said Bailey, describing his condition. “It tries to work harder, it stings, I can feel it.”
Despite his condition, Bailey is still an avid athlete and enjoys activities like martial arts.
“I still do a lot of crazy stuff,” he jokingly admitted, before adding in a more serious tone, “That probably doesn’t help.”
For Bailey, martial arts are a form of coping with the difficulties of life. It’s something to funnel negativity into, much like other hobbies. Much of that negativity, however, doesn’t directly result from his cardiomegaly; it comes primarily from people telling him to change his lifestyle in response to the condition.
Bailey doesn’t view his enlarged heart as a liability or a reason to limit himself. Instead he sees it as an opportunity, a reason to get up in the morning and do things that someone else might view as “too difficult” or “out of their reach.”
Faced with the possibility of a shortened life, James has decided to make the most of it, and is frustrated with the idea of sitting around and taking no risks that people push on him.
“I’m not trying to die young, I’m trying to make sure I’ve lived my life,” Bailey explained.

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The Voice of the Loy Norrix Community
Meeting Hardship With Optimism: Bailey James Shares His Life Philosophy